4-Bedroom Hot Tub Cottage in Rattray

Glamis Castle stands beside the village of Glamis in Angus and is open to the public. It has been the home of the Lyon family since the 14th century, though the present building dates largely from the 17th century. It was the childhood home of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, and Princess Margaret was born here in 1930.

Tip: Leave time for the grounds as well as the castle: the daffodil avenue and the arboretum overlooking Glamis Burn are part of the estate.

Meigle Sculptured Stone Museum is in the centre of the village of Meigle, on the A94 between Coupar Angus and Forfar. It fills the former parish school and displays a striking set of carved Pictish stones from the late 700s to late 900s, all that survives of the Picts' power centre here.

Tip: Standard tickets are booked for a specific date and time, so check the booking page before you set off.

Scone Palace is a Category A-listed historic house near the village of Scone and the city of Perth. Built in red sandstone with a castellated roof, it is a fine example of Gothic Revival style. For centuries the site held the Stone of Scone, on which early Scottish kings were crowned, and Robert the Bruce was crowned here in 1306.

Tip: To follow the Stone of Destiny story further, Perth Museum displays it; tickets for that are booked through the museum's own website.

V&A Dundee is Scotland's design museum, set on Dundee's waterfront. It was the first building in the UK designed by the Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, whose idea was a "living room for the city", and its outer wing reaches out over the River Tay. It is also the only V&A museum outside London.

Tip: Parking is in the nearby Dundee City Council car parks, and the free Smartify app audio tours let you explore at your own pace.

Perth Museum sits in the former Perth City Hall, an Edwardian building that once hosted markets, concerts and political conferences. At its heart is the Stone of Destiny, also known as the Stone of Scone, used to crown Scottish monarchs and still used in coronations of the UK's kings and queens. It has returned to Perthshire after more than 700 years.

Tip: The Stone of Destiny experience needs a timed ticket, which you book at the front desk, so sort this out early in your visit.

RRS Discovery is the wooden three-masted ship built in Dundee in 1901 for Antarctic research. She carried Robert Falcon Scott and Ernest Shackleton on the Discovery Expedition, and she was the last traditional wooden three-masted ship built in the United Kingdom.

Huntingtower Castle sits about 5 km north-west of the centre of Perth, beside the A85, and is in the care of Historic Scotland. Mary Queen of Scots stayed here in 1565 while on honeymoon with Lord Darnley, and the castle has seen plenty of other dramatic episodes, including the Raid of Ruthven in 1582, when the young James VI was seized here.

Tip: Tickets can be booked online for a set date and time, so book ahead before you go.

The McManus is Dundee's art gallery and museum, housed in a Category A listed Gothic Revival building designed by George Gilbert Scott. Eight galleries across two floors follow the story of the city, from a small settlement to the Dundee of today, taking in 400 million years of history along the way.

Tip: The nearest public car parks are Bell Street, Overgate and Wellgate, each a 5-10 minute walk away.